


Don't!

by randomobsessionburts



Category: Free!, High Speed! Starting Days
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:06:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27190135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomobsessionburts/pseuds/randomobsessionburts
Summary: Ikuya was more forceful when Haru tried to quit swim club during middle school.
Kudos: 1





	Don't!

“No! I won’t let you quit!”

Haru turned his head at the outburst.

“What right do you have to say that? Who are you to decide what I can and cannot do?”

“I won’t let you quit unless you can give me an actually reason for why you want to stop.”

Haru froze and looked around. He was with Ikuya, Asahi and Makoto by the pool. He had just told them that he was quitting the swim team. Yet, Ikuya refused to accept that. But how can he tell him, that nothing good ever comes from swimming from him, he was no purpose for swimming like them, all he ever wanted was to just be free, to be able to feel the water, but after Rin, how can he do that? He made his friend cry, and he wasn’t able to do anything to help.

“I just swim free.” Haru muttered.

“And I specialize in breaststroke, Asahi does butterfly and Makato does backstroke. We never made you swim anything other than free. So why are you quitting?!” Ikuya yelled.

Asahi and Makoto looked uncomfortable at the scene unraveling in front of them.

“Maybe we should talk about this later?” Makoto intervened trying to bring some peace between the pair.

“No! If we do not do this know, Haru will never ever acknowledge it again, so Haru tell me why you want to quit swimming?! Swimming is the only time we ever see you alive so why do you want to give that up?!” Ikuya exclaimed at Haru, grabbing him by the shoulders to make Haru focus on him.

Haru stared at Ikuya and the eyes, opened his mouth and flattered. He tried to look away from his friend, but Ikuya wouldn’t let him.

“Look at me! Tell me why, please! Please tell me why you would do this. Why would you give up what you love?” At this point there were tears on Ikuya’s face as he was unable to understand his friend’s reasoning as to why he would ever give up his talent.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone anymore.” Haru whispered.

The answer shocked everyone. Ikuya let go of Haru as the others got closer.

“Haru, what are you talking about? How could you ever hurt anyone?” Makoto asked concerned about his friend. At first, he was ready to accept Haru’s decision to quit swimming but now that the reason came to light, how can he accept the pain his best friend is in?

“You could never hurt anyone through swimming. If anything, you have helped us all through swimming. You helped me find my reason for why I swim!” Makoto exclaimed.

“Thanks to you, I’m much stronger than I was before.” Asahi added.

“You motivate me even more to improve my swimming, but most importantly it’s because of you that I finally have friends, I know how to be in a team, so just like how you all chased me when I tried to quit, I won’t let you quit as well!” Ikuya was tearing up at this point still maintaining eye contact with Haru.

“I-I…” Haru tried to speak but he felt a lump in his throat and a burning sensation in his chest.

“I don’t want to stop swimming with you guys! Swimming along you all makes me feel free! But I can’t feel the water anymore! I just want to be free!” Haru bowed his head as tears began running down his face and collapsed to his knees.

“Haru-chan.”

“Haru.”

“Haru.”

The three friends stared at their friend in shock. They then surrounded him and knelt and hug him.

“You did it again. You were stupid again. We are your friends, we are here to help you, just like you helped us, just like we helped you after you fainted. You can trust us when we say, you will not hurt us, but you are hurting yourself. Please let us help you.” Makoto told Haru.

Haru looked up and looked at his team-no to his friends.

“Please don’t stop swimming. Swim with us, let us help you become free.” Ikuya whispered to Haru.

“You are amazing Haru. Please remember that you are special, don’t destroy yourself.” Asahi told him.

Haru wailed as he felt his friends support, clinging onto them as if they would disappear if he were to let go.

The team stayed like that as they all cried together.

“I won’t quit.” Haru whispered.

Three heads shot up.

“You won’t?! Truly?!” Ikuya asked excited.

Haru nodded.

“I can’t promise that it’ll be as before, but I promise I will try.” Haru said.

“We will help you, never doubt that. Rely on us.” Makoto told him, with Asahi and Ikuya nodding in agreement.

_Thank you, you guys. Rin I’m sorry, I will always be sorry for hurting you. I will always carry that with me for the rest of my life. Maybe with my friends I can find a new freedom. Thank you._ Haru gave his friends a small smile, as they all stood up and began to leave the school.

“We’ll see each other tomorrow for practice, right?”

“Definitely.”


End file.
